£9.00 inc p&p

The Doctors’ Revolution – a fascinating documentary made by Professor of Paediatric Cardiology, Michael Tynan – charts the struggle and success of Cuba’s health system and discusses challenges facing the island. The film tells the story of a young boy, Felix, with a congenital narrowing of the aorta. Although Felix requires major and potentially dangerous surgery, a relatively simple piece of equipment could be used to open up the valve leading to his heart – but the U.S. blockade means procuring necessary equipment is often impossible.

Considering the context of the blockade, Cuba’s achievements in the field of healthcare – particularly in the areas of infant mortality, life expectancy and internationalism – are nothing short of miraculous. Tynan shows that this success comes from the organisation of the Cuban health system with local doctors at the core of their communities.

Cuba’s commitment to public health has been the heartbeat of their socialist programme – both domestically and internationally – since their struggle against Batista in the 1950s. This film – featuring interviews with British politicians, doctors, leading Cuban physicians and Fidel Castro – follows the evolution of medicine in Cuba from the work of Che Guevara during the revolution to the contemporary development of ground-breaking vaccinations and preventative techniques.